Archive for March, 2009

If you’re looking for the old CitiesGoGreen website, times change, and this is the new incarnation. What? Why?

We know you have comments and ideas, and we want to hear more from you, so we’ve moved to a great blogging platform. Here we’ll have posts pointing to useful news around the web. I invite you to add your comments, ideas, and suggestions.

But it’s more than a blog. In addition…

While we’re putting the magazine on hiatus (back issues are available under the “Articles” tab), we’re also reinventing our publishing model to focus on freestanding original articles designed to the magazine’s attractive standards.

These articles will accumulate into a useful library you can access and share with colleagues. We’ll start with some of our best past articles and then begin putting up new ones. If you want to write an article, please see the “Writer’s Guide” tab above and let’s explore it.

If you’d like to know what’s happening here you can visit, of course. We’re setting up to have frequent updates on a range of topics. If you are in love with some area of sustainability as related to local government and would like to contribute to the blog on a guest, regular or semi-regular basis, let’s talk.

Also you can subscribe to the RSS feed (the orange thingy in the top right). If you don’t know what that is, your best option is to ask someone to show you how to set up Google Reader or another free service, or search on it. It’s simple once you get the hang of it, and useful. In fact, RSS means “Really Simple Syndication” (in one version, anyway).

The Yale Project on Climate Change and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication have released a survey, Climate Change in the American Mind: Americans’ climate change beliefs, attitudes, policy preferences, and actions (56 pp pdf). The concluding paragraph of the executive summary provides encouragement and direction for those supporting change:

Thus, it is clear that American opinion about global warming is solidifying. Majorities now believe it is real, happening, human caused, and a serious threat. Likewise, majorities want their elected officials at all levels to take more action and support a variety of policies to reduce national greenhouse gas emissions. Growing numbers of Americans are also willing to express their views politically and through their consumer purchases. Thus there is now a large and growing issue public in support of concerted local, state, and national action, but this public remains relatively disorganized. The success or failure of climate change action in the United States will depend, in no small part, on the ability of leaders, organizations, and institutions at all levels of society to effectively educate, organize, and mobilize the American public.

A “Roadmap” to the energy provisions in the recovery bill is provided by Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., of New Jersey. One highlight is Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grants, open to any community.

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Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, from his  state of the city address:

I returned just two hours ago, from a trip to Washington — and a face-to-face meeting with Energy Secretary Steven Chu. I took Dr. Crow with me (although I forgot to bring him back). We talked to the Secretary about the importance of renewable energy sources — the importance of freeing ourselves from our dependency on foreign oil – and the jobs that will come to the city that leads on this issue.

I told him that Phoenix would lead – and we’ll do it with “Green Phoenix” – a 17-point plan which, in short, is designed to make Phoenix, America’s first Carbon-Neutral City – America’s Greenest City. It is a plan that already has the Secretary’s endorsement – and a plan I am excited to share with you today.

Apparently details have yet to emerge, but stay tuned.

For those who see a bright green future, here’s evidence it makes sense. The jobs aspect ought to be interesting for local communities, not to mention the long term benefits.

Greenpeace and the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) commissioned a study from the German Aerospace Center. Based on that study, Greenpeace is putting forth the Energy [R]evolution U.S. Scenario, a  blueprint for how the U.S. can use energy more efficiently and increase renewable energy generating capacity to cut current CO2 emissions levels some 23% by 2020 and 85% by 2050.

Here’s the press release with an overview of the bottom line elements. Keep reading for another overview: continue

by Elizabeth Johnson

Long before fuel prices commanded the attention they do now, planners in Arlington County, Virginia, created a well-organized transit system which dramatically reduces vehicle miles traveled today. This tradition of innovation continues with effective programs, impressive results, national awards and a broad view toward even greater results. With abundant cheap power, the cost of energy has never been a major concern for the state of Virginia. The state government has not taken a strong role in energy conservation, and there has been little incentive for local governments to do so. Yet while much of the nation is just beginning to grapple with the effects of peak oil and other associated environmental challenges, Arlington County is emerging as a regional and national leader in sustainable energy-conservation policies. How did it happen that Arlington County acted with such intelligent foresight and innovation, especially with some of the lowest energy costs in the nation? And what can other local governments learn from the Arlington County experience? Read the full article in the September 2008 issue of CitiesGoGreen magazine